Grüß Gott from Salzburg, Austria! Even though the Austrians speak German, the phrase Guten Tag (good day) is not the common greeting. Instead, Austrians use Grüß Gott meaning “may God be with you.”
I’ve logged a lot of miles in the last month. I’ve traveled to Italy, Scotland, Germany, and now Austria. Before I set foot back home on the sandy soils of Florida I will have led tours in seven European countries. I must admit, this is a pretty good gig I worked myself into!
Salzburg is one of my favorite small towns. Since I’m a musician, it is especially important because of the development of “classical” music and its greatest composer: Wolfgang Mozart. I was happy to reconnect with one of my former band students who is studying in Salzburg this semester. Grace is a bassoon performance major at the University of Florida. She traveled with me to Salzburg some years ago while she was in the Ridgeview High School band.
Salzburg is a great town to experience on foot. The historic city center is mostly traffic-free and a delight to stroll around in. Unfortunately, much of the city is under renovation and many of the streets are torn up at the moment, spoiling the normally charming ambience. However, moving one or two blocks off the main drag brings a peaceful old world charm and few tourists.
I like to take a touring route that laces together some of the Sound of Music sights with the historic 15th- and 16th-century landmarks. One such place is Hellbrunn Palace built in the early 1600s by the Prince Archbishop of Salzburg. It was meant to be a summer “day” palace. A place for fun and entertainment. Hence, there is a garden designed for water games where automated fountains would spray out and catch unsuspecting visitors by a surprise water blast. At all of these game spots there is one area that never gets wet, that’s where the Archbishop stood or sat and, I imagine, laughed at his friends getting soaked. You can actually find the spots today by either checking on the ground for spots with no water or simply watching for where your tour guide stands, ha!
I took the photo on the right yesterday featuring the façade of Hellbrunn Palace. The park designed for water games, a huge public park and the city zoo are located to the right. By the way, the glass enclosed pavilion featured in the Sound of Music movie is nearby. You’ll probably remember it was the site where the song “I am Sixteen Going on Seventeen” was made famous.
Visiting Salzburg is fun anytime of year, however the place comes alive at Christmas time. Charlotte and I sponsor a Christmas market tour every year around the first week in December. It features cool weather, classic destinations, local craftsmen selling their wares in wooden stalls, fantastic food and warm drinks, and a noncommercial ambience. The sweaty tourist crowds that I experienced today in Salzburg are totally replaced at Christmas time with locals and savvy tourist experiencing the joy of Christmas. Think about joining me this December in Germany and Austria for my Christmas markets tour.
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